Forage Root
Forage root is one of the finest discoveries made by herbalists of northern Isfa has been the Forage Root. East of the Northwood Aquameasure, just near to the rambling Mireroot Mountains, the ground is historically hard to work. This is part is due to the heavy rainfall that gathers in the ground. This mineral rich terrain rife with ore is nearly inhospitable. Miners that have attempted to pull out minerals have been dismayed due to the runoff that brings layers of sediment into any pit that is dug. Miners that are not careful enough will easily find themselves buried alive in the fast moving soil.
The forage root, by its very nature, is a plant that is capable of surviving in the environment. Originally bred from Bog Bean and a variant of Bamboo called an Undershoot. While the Bog Bean is capable to stretching out with a wide root system, the Undershoot grows meters below the surface. Originally intended to prevent the water saturated ground from shifting, the original name for the Forage Root was the Bog Root or Bog Anchor. However, herbalists eventually found that the new plant was harvested, the plant itself had incorporated the minerals from deep underground into its vegetative shoot. This was found when the overgrown plants were culled and burned, producing mineral byproducts suitable for smelting. When the full length of the root system was extracted, resulting surplus was processed into iron. This unique plant, known as the Forage Root, thus serves both ecological and industrial purposes, stabilizing soil while also yielding valuable mineral resources through its deep-rooted, mineral-rich shoots.
The Forage Root, due in part to the Bog Bean component, enabled the Forage Root to become widespread across hundreds of acres across the mountainside. The Forage Root, locally accepted as the Treasure Root, tends to grow most where high density minerals are present. The Forage Root is harvested by teams of foragers to produce ore used throughout the kingdom.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The main root structure resembles that of Bog Bean, characterized by thick, fibrous roots that spread horizontally just below the soil surface. These roots serve to stabilize the plant and absorb water and minerals from the surrounding soil.
The undershoot, analogous to undeground bamboo, consists of elongated underground stems that grow horizontally and deeply into the soil. These can extend several meters undergound, branching out to further anchor the plant and explore mineral-rich layers of the soil.
The aboveground stems, appear akin to bog bean flora, with large white or red buds depending on the composition of the local minerals. The flowers grow around 3 feet to 6 feet tall at their maturity. The flowers appear to have a fuzzy texture that tends to harden with age.
Genetics and Reproduction
As the Forage Root matures and loses the ability to retain more minerals, the Forage Root replicates itself through seeds that tumble to the loose soil. While naturally the seeds would be carried by wind, fauna, or currents, the spread of the the Forage Root was supported by early efforts of local herbalists to stabilize the territory. In order to begin growing, the Forage Root must be supplied with free essence as well as mineral rich soil. As the free essence required is naturally found in the mountain waterways, Forage Roots are to able take root. However, if they are unable to feed off of ores or dense minerals, the Forage Root will wither. Thus, Forage Roots will naturally be sparse unless
Comments